This Week In Baseball

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

A bit late getting this in, but the Os won their 8th straight.

 

Tejada homered for the 4th straight game.

 

And something I've never seen before, Mora hit a 2 run homer that hit the foul line on the top of the wall and bounced foul and was called a home run (the correct call supposedly). Im sure it will be shown on sportscenter..he announcers were saying it was a shame that Pinella wasnt coaching or there would have been a classic Lou Pinnella argument..

[strummer 0]

and the Orioles are 7 1/2 games in front of the Yankees. WOW

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Is it too early to call the Cubs' starting five the most overrated rotation in baseball? For a rotation that's supposed to be one of the best, they sure get shelled a lot, and not against good offensive teams either.

[ISportsFan 0]

Jon Garland improved to 5-0 with his second consecutive complete game shutout, the first time that has happened to a White Sox pitcher since 'Black' Jack McDowell in September 1991. A final score of 8-0 over the Tigers with Timo Perez hitting a 2 run home run (the first for the Sox in nearly a week, since April 25) with 3 total RBI on the game. Carl Everett also had 3 RBI, and Pedro Lopez got his first major league hit, RBI, and run scored while playing shortstop. The Sox are now 18-7 on the year, only losing the one series at Oakland so far.

 

And to answer mike's question on teams sucking, I can only answer by saying that it is the worst feeling on the planet to see your team contend all year long only to falter in the final part of the season and finish second. And I've felt that quite a few times in my life (including the past 3 seasons).

 

Jason

[geniusMoment 0]

I say crown the Cardinals the champs of the NL central today, and just let the other teams in the division play for fun. Seriously, the central has to be the suckiest division outside of the redbirds.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

and the Orioles are 7 1/2 games in front of the Yankees.  WOW

And they have a 4 game lead on 2nd place Toronto which is the largest lead by a first place team over second place, and they have tied the White Sox for the best record in baseball (17-7)

 

Yes I know its only 24 games into the season..blah blah blah..

[Guest Brian]

White Sox are 18-7, beat Detroit today 8-0. I look at things much like someone was saying are Mets fan does, in that they do fine I'm usually pretty silent, it speaks for itself, but when they do bad I'm shitting all over them. But this looks really good, and their keeping ahead of the Twins who had won five in a row coming into today. And Konerko isn't even hitting yet, nor is Garland.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Is it too early to call the Cubs' starting five the most overrated rotation in baseball? For a rotation that's supposed to be one of the best, they sure get shelled a lot, and not against good offensive teams either.

Yes. I spent half an offseason listening to Buster Olney praising the Yankees' rotation as the best in baseball.

 

I do think at this point, Florida has the prize in a landslide.

 

Top 5 Rotations, by starters' ERA

1. Florida (2.34)

2. Chicago White Sox (2.89)

3. Atlanta (2.89)

4. St. Louis (3.39)

5. Arizona (3.85)

 

I rated the White Sox ahead of the Braves for playing in the American League.

 

Top 5 Bullpens, by relievers' ERA

1. Florida

2. Minnesota

3. Seattle

4. Houston

5. Los Angeles Angels

[mike546 0]

The Yankees officially need to start a youth movement. Call up Cano, let Phillips start everday, and keep Wang in the rotation even when Wright comes back. Put Bernie in the DH, eat Giambis contract and release him, and put Matsui in CF.

 

I don't care if this is considered overeacting, but something needs to change.

[CanadianChris 0]

The Yankees officially need to start a youth movement. Call up Cano, let Phillips start everday, and keep Wang in the rotation even when Wright comes back. Put Bernie in the DH, eat Giambis contract and release him, and put Matsui in CF.

 

I don't care if this is considered overeacting, but something needs to change.

I miss the days when Anglesault would call rebuilding unacceptable.

 

Wait, no I don't.

[razazteca 0]

If the Yankees refuse to rebuild than what will be the next big purchase/trade?

[Precious Roy 0]

It's April......

 

 

Wait, it's May now? WE'RE FUCKED!

[strummer 0]

Red Sox sign John Olerud to a MLC

[mike546 0]

It's April......

 

 

Wait, it's May now? WE'RE FUCKED!

I'm complaining just for the fact were losing, and struggling. Thats obvious.

 

I'm angry for the Yankees complete lack of effort, and for the fact they they just went 3-6 on a 9 game homestand. But most importantly, the fact that Bernie and Posada are so nonexistent in production right now, its scary.

 

And 7.5 games is a lot to make up.

 

EDIT: To Razas statment, I honestly think the Yankees can rebuild pretty quickly. After this season, Bernie and Brown will be gone. If Bernies still around, we'll sign him as a cheap backup. Karsays contract is up, he'll be gone. If Posada keeps up his suckyness, he'll be a backup next year, and he coulda been what Girardi was to him if the Yanks hadn't traded Navarro. I don't expect the Yankees to ever completley rebuild, but a mixture of rookies and veterans would work.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I find the Yankee overreaction to Posada quite amusing. He's a guy who put up a .400 OBP just last year.

[mike546 0]

Hes also a guy who did most of his damage from April to June last year, and was absolutley nonexistent afterwards. If it was a small slump, it'd be nothing, but he looks horrible at the plate.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Hes also a guy who did most of his damage from April to June last year, and was absolutley nonexistent afterwards. If it was a small slump, it'd be nothing, but he looks horrible at the plate.

June: .208/.352/.308

July: .284/.402/.469

August: .276/.409/.500

September: .267/.364/.430

October: 1 for 2

Playoffs: .244/.358/.267

[Styles 0]

Was at the O's game today. God I love this team. I don't have the time/patience/memory to always jump in here and brag but yeah, a special hello to our friends in New York.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Those were some poor calls in the seventh, but Chipper should've been on first base anyway since that ball hit his foot.  So as it turned out, no further damage was done.

 

And god dammit will Kerry Wood ever stay in a game?  This is ridiculous.

Honestly, why don't they just make him closer? Hes obviously NEVER going to be healthy. Tendinitios (sp?) in two starts in a row, plus all the arm injuries hes had in his career, its just not worth waiting for him to be an ace.

because

2. He will if he can have a first inning that doesn't suck. Seriously, use tapes of his first innings as training videos for little-leaguers. He demonstrates every potential outcome to a plate appearance in there. Base hit, base on balls, advance on error, wild pitch, extra base hit, hit batsman, home run...and three concecutive strikeouts to end the inning so we all remember who the ace is around here.

[mike546 0]

I said he should become a closer because of his injury problems, not because hes pitched bad games.

[The Czech Republic 0]

And I told you why it's in no way feasible that he closes.

[mike546 0]

And I understand that. I just see no point in him pitching if he injures his arm every start.

[Precious Roy 0]

I'm complaining just for the fact were losing, and struggling. Thats obvious.

 

I'm angry for the Yankees complete lack of effort, and for the fact they they just went 3-6 on a 9 game homestand. But most importantly, the fact that Bernie and Posada are so nonexistent in production right now, its scary.

 

And 7.5 games is a lot to make up.

 

EDIT: To Razas statment, I honestly think the Yankees can rebuild pretty quickly. After this season, Bernie and Brown will be gone. If Bernies still around, we'll sign him as a cheap backup. Karsays contract is up, he'll be gone. If Posada keeps up his suckyness, he'll be a backup next year, and he coulda been what Girardi was to him if the Yanks hadn't traded Navarro. I don't expect the Yankees to ever completley rebuild, but a mixture of rookies and veterans would work.

They're not playing well, for sure, but there's no reason to believe they can't turn it around. Lack of effort? The effort is there, the results just aren't coming, they're underachieving, it happens. Torre constantly shuffling the lineup hasn't helped either, IMO he needs to keep Womack-Jeter 1-2 w/ A-Rod in the 5 spot, Alex doesn't do well batting directly behind Jeter for some reason. Posada will be fine, and we knew coming in that the production from Bernie and Giambi would be a crapshoot. This is an old team, sometimes old teams need some time to get into the swing of things. One thing I will say is that the weaknesses we saw on paper before the season have definitely shown up on field, but that doesn't spell doom, things might just need a little tweaking. It would be nice to see them bring in the CF that Yankee fans were begging for in the off-season before the deadline, Bernie should be DHing a lot more than he does.

 

I'm more worried about the pitching, though we're without Sturtze right now who was being counted on for a lot of middle relief innings, the lineup has too many productive players to not come around, but 7.5 games is NOTHING this early, and as inconsistent as the pitching has been, our staff is still better than Baltimore's, and IMO the equal or better of Boston's.

 

If it's August and we're still 8 out, then I'll start to worry....

[mike546 0]

I'm not too worried about the bullpen. Mo will be Mo, Buddy Groom has been great, Sturtze is Sturtze, and Stanton has been great beside today. Gordon I have no clue whats wrong with him, and Quantril is just getting old.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

After this week....

 

AL MVP: Brian Roberts, Balt

AL Cy Young: Jon Garland, CWS

AL Rookie of the Year: Tadahito Iguchi, CWS

AL Manager of the Year: Ozzie Guillen, CWS

 

NL MVP: Derrek Lee, ChC

NL Cy Young: Dontrelle Willis, Fla

NL Rookie of the Year: Clint Barmes, Col

NL Manager of the Year: Jim Tracy, LAD

 

Brian Roberts and Derrek Lee retain their spots from last week. Garland and Willis earn Cy Young frontrunner status based on their 5-0 records. Garland also leads the league in ERA, while Willis is second in the NL. I see no reason to budge the manager awards. Iguchi barely edges last week's leader, Jeremy Reed, and Clint Barmes widened the gap in the NL.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Al, which of those teams listed in the Top Five rotations and pens in baseball do you expect to retain such a pace as the season progresses?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Al, which of those teams listed in the Top Five rotations and pens in baseball do you expect to retain such a pace as the season progresses?

As far as rotations, Florida will succeed as long as they are healthy. Otherwise, I have reservations about the other four, particularly Arizona. Also note four of those teams are NL teams. I should adjust for the league next time.

 

Minnesota has the best chance to continue their bullpen success, with Joe Nathan, Juan Rincon, J.C. Romero, and Jesse Crain. Houston will do well as long as Brad Lidge is throwing heat, and the LA Angels have always featured a good bullpen.

[Styles 0]

Al, no arguments on Brian's MVP nomination but Tejada has had a better May so far.

[Vern Gagne 0]

I think the Twins starting rotation will soon enough be one of the best in the American league. Neither Radke or Santana have been has good as their capable of being, Silva's been solid, and Mays overall's pitched well for a 4th starter.

 

The bullpen should remain near the top, but it would be nice to have Grant Balfour.

[Guest]

If the Yankees don't sweep Tampa, I'm officially boycotting them for a week. And question to all those fans of teams who usually suck every year. How bad does it get watching your team suck 162 games a year? They've made the playoffs every year since I started rooting for them.

I'm a Dodger fan, and I know for a fact that I couldn't watch every game when they were down. It's like a slap in the face to the fans of the team when there is consistent failure with no attempt to make changes.